The UK government is facing pressure to reduce the proposed social media ban age from 16 to 13, potentially granting a reprieve to millions of teenagers. A petition titled "A government ban on social media to be for under 13s only" has been launched on the Parliament website.
Petition Details
Created by Robyn Rachel Shephard, the petition will close in August. It comes after the government confirmed plans to ban under-16s from accessing a range of platforms earlier this week. The petition, which requires 10,000 signatures to elicit a government response, states: "Any government ban on social media that is introduced should be for under 13s only. We want people 13+ to be able to use social media."
The petition adds: "Not just 16+, as we believe 13 is reasonable as you are officially a teen and responsible for yourself. We want this to happen as many teens in the UK will be affected by the ban and we believe the proposed age limit for the ban is too high and want to lower it to apply to under 13s only."
Government Response and Reactions
The petition has already garnered 14,000 signatures, ensuring a government response. If it reaches 100,000, it will be considered for a debate in the House of Commons.
Sir Keir Starmer commented earlier this week: "We hope to pass regulation before Christmas." The Labour Party leader added: "I am not prepared to compromise on the safety and happiness of our children, and that is why this ban must happen, and why this ban will happen."
Joe Ryrie, co-founder of the Smartphone Free Childhood campaign group, said: "This social media ban won't solve every problem overnight, but it is a major step forward. Millions of children will now get a few more years to grow up before entering online environments that were never designed with their wellbeing in mind."
Industry Perspective
In a statement following the ban's confirmation, Meta argued that a ban risked "isolating teens from online communities and information, and driving them to unregulated alternatives." YouTube, meanwhile, highlighted its existing protections for teens, describing itself as "a vital resource for young people, educators and parents."
